導入事例 · Washington D.C. · Los Angeles · Atlanta · USA
Throne Labs equips its smart restrooms with NaviLens for accessibility.
On June 6, 2025 —Visually Impaired People Day— Throne Labs and NaviLens announce their partnership from Washington D.C. and Murcia, Spain. Every unit carries a NaviLens code so blind and low-vision users can find and use the restroom independently, with multilingual audio. Rollout begins in D.C. and expands across Throne's nationwide network.
Jun 6, 2025
Official announcement — Visually Impaired People Day
Washington D.C.
First city of the joint rollout
ADA + audio
ADA-accessible units with NaviLens voice guidance
On-device privacy
NaviLens processes everything on the phone, no images uploaded
The partner
Throne Labs
Throne Labs designs and operates smart, self-contained public restrooms —with running water, flushing toilets, baby changing stations and free menstrual products— that can be deployed in parks, transit stations and business districts without construction. Each unit carries 21 sensors that produce real-time data on cleanliness, usage and maintenance. At launch, Throne was operating in greater Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Ann Arbor and Washington D.C.
The partnership with NaviLens embeds accessible codes in every unit: voice readout from several feet away, no aiming, in multiple languages. A blind or low-vision user can locate the unit, enter it and orient themselves inside —sink, changing station, available products— without touching the sign or knowing its exact position.
§ How it works
An accessible code on every unit's door.
- 01
Exterior locating
The NaviLens code on the module's façade is detectable by the app from several feet away, without aiming. A blind user knows there is a Throne restroom here, hears its features and can walk to the entrance.
- 02
Access and indoor wayfinding
Once inside, codes guide the user by voice to the sink, changing station, free menstrual products and other key features — without having to touch anything to «read» the sign.
- 03
Privacy by design
NaviLens processes codes locally on the user's device. No images are stored or uploaded to the cloud. Throne combines this accessible layer with its own cleanliness and usage sensors, keeping them separate.
§ Voices from the partnership
What the people behind it say
“At Throne, our mission is to design public infrastructure that truly serves everyone. By integrating NaviLens, we're making our restrooms even more accessible and intuitive for people who are blind or visually impaired. We're thrilled about this partnership because it redefines what inclusive infrastructure can and should be.
Jessica Heinzelman
COO & Co-founder · Throne Labs
thronelabs.co · Official announcement (Jun 6, 2025) ↗“Our goal at NaviLens is to break down barriers to independence by making public spaces truly navigable for people who are blind or visually impaired. Partnering with Throne allows us to bring our technology to essential public infrastructure—restrooms—and ensure they are accessible in a way that respects dignity, autonomy, and ease of use.
Martin García-Ripoll
Client Relations & Projects · NaviLens
thronelabs.co · Official announcement (Jun 6, 2025) ↗“NaviLens and Throne are marrying accessibility tech to a mainstream solution. I think it's really forward thinking. Accessibility is just a good customer service experience, so it would enhance my desire to travel back to that place. Everybody uses the bathroom. It's a universal experience, and it needs to be accessible.
Louis Do
Accessibility Consultant · Carroll Center for the Blind
thronelabs.co · Official announcement (Jun 6, 2025) ↗§ Gallery
The partnership, on the street.
§ Why it matters
A restroom you can also actually find.
Basic infrastructure
Finding an accessible public restroom is one of the most everyday barriers for a blind or low-vision user moving around the city. Throne + NaviLens eliminates the search and the «is it here or not?» moment.
A replicable standard
The rollout starts in D.C. and extends across Throne's network. Each new city gets the same accessible layer with no construction or extra hardware — the code is simply printed and stuck on the unit.
Device-agnostic tech
NaviLens codes work with the free app on the user's phone. No account, no GPS, no beacons, no special hardware required. Same cost for one unit or for the entire network.
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